A San Jose City Council vote Tuesday could dramatically reshape the way the city looks in the future. If approved, the so-called middle housing proposal, recommended by the Planning Commission, would allow four to 10 units of multi-family housing to be built in single-family zoning districts. While the vote is crucial in terms of policy direction, there would be a long way to go before the city could apply such a complex policy to so many different neighborhoods. After approval, more refinement and public hearings would be needed to fit it into the general plan, meaning a final version wouldn’t be ready until next year. Those supporting the measure said it’s about creating more affordable homes in a place where they’re badly needed. But taxpayer advocacy group Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility said the issue is getting twisted. “In this case, they’re using density as a proxy for affordability,” Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility President Patrick Waite said. “We really think they ought to be focused on why things aren’t affordable and figuring out how to make more houses buildable in a timely fashion.” San Jose Councilmember Anthony Tordillos said the re-zoning proposal is a result of an agreement the city made with the state on housing several years ago. He said San Jose is one of the least affordable places to live nationwide. “We’ve seen the impacts of that with a dwindling population as people are getting priced out,” he said. “Housing is overcrowded. So many of our teachers and other public workers just can’t afford to live in the cities that they serve. We’re seeing school enrollment drop because people can’t afford to raise families in San Jose.” Bill Baker, a homeowner already surrounded by multi-unit homes, said he’s glad more people might have an opportunity for housing, but he’s concerned about more people sharing the same amount of space. “Parking can be an issue,” he said. “I’d like to see the city sort of handle parking more than housing.” ...read more read less